Power installation



T. STEIN POWER INSTALLAHON Filed Aug. 16, 1922 n L j H T m --L.. M .2" 0 6 Q w M2 LWM/ m w a W] .0 v M 4 w W M "w E j 8 8 :Ur. I. -MH. M, w m 7 ing to the quantity Patented Aug. 5, 192

'II-IEODQR STEIN, SF SCI-IONEICHE, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL rears ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION 01? NEW YORK.

POWER INSTALLATION.

Application filed August is, 1922.

T all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Trmonon STEIN, a citizen of the Swiss Republic, residing at Schoneiche, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Power Installations, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to power in stallations comprising a prime mover such as a steam turbine which receives steam from any suitable source and exhausts into a condenser, the exhaust steam being condensed therein by means of cooling water. In condensing the steam, the cooling Water is heated and it has heretofore been proposed to use this heated cooling water for industrial purposes. However, this involves difliculties in that hot water used for industrial purposes is usually consumed in varying quantities and is required to .be maintained at a substantially constant temperature while the cooling water, which usually flows to a condenser'in a uniform quantity, has a varying temperature at exit accordof steam flowing in. The varying flow of steam to a condenser is caused by variations in load on the prime mover, or in case the prime mover'is of the extraction type, byfvariation in the amount of extracted steam.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved arrangement of apparatus and an improved method whereby cooling water of a condenser may be utilized efiiciently as hot water for use for industrial purposes, and for a consideration of what I believe to be novel and my invention, attention is directed to the accompanying description and the claims appended thereto.

In the drawing, the figure is a diagram mat-ic View of a power installation embodying my invention.

Referring to the drawing, 5 indicates a prime mover, here shown as a steam turbine, which receives steam through a pipe 6 leading from boilers 7 and exhaust through a conduit 8 to a condenser 9. At 10 is indicated a circulating pump for pumping cooling water through condenser 9. It is driven by a steam turbine 11 which receives steam from boilers 7 through a pipe 12. The suction side of pump 10 is connected by a conduit 13 to a source of cooling water supply 14 and its dischargeside is connected by a conduit 15 to the cooling water inlet of con- Serial No. 532,190.

denser 9. The cooling water exit of condenser 9 is indicated at 16.

According to my invention I supply to the condenser, a quantity of cooling water such that with mean load on the condensing prime mover the cooling water will be heated to the desired temperature and I then conduct the heated cooling water from the condenser to a hot water storage device or reservoir. Hot water for industrial purposes is then taken from this reservoir. In the hot water storage device or reservoir an equalization is effected between the uniform quantity of hot water supplied by the con denser at varying temperatures according to "the load on the prime mover and the variable consumption of hot water, by reason of the fact that in the hot water reservoir a mean temperature is established by the mixture which is made. By this means hot water of a constant temperature will be always available for industrial purposes irrespective of the load on the main prime mover at any particular time and hence the temperature of the exit cooling water.

In the drawing, 17 indicates the hot water storage device or reservoir and 18 a pipe connecting it to the exit 16 of condenser 9. At the bottom of reservoir 17 is a pipe 19 which leads to a point of consumption for hot water indicated at 20. If the water at the point of consumption is only partially cooled it may be desirable sometimes to recirculate it through the condenser and again heat it and when this is the case a conduit 21 is provided which leads from the point of consumption to a storage tank 21 and to the suction side of pump 10. In conduits 13 and 21 are suitable valves 22, 23 and 23* for regulating and controlling the flow.

If the cooling water from the condenser is more than is required at the point of consumption, the excess must be carried off as in ordinary condenser operation. To this end I provide in connection with pipe 18 a branch pipe 24 which leads to a discharge well 25. In pipes 18 and 24 is arranged a three-way valve 26 having an operating handle 27. IVhen handle 27 is in the position shown in the drawing outlet 16 is connected through pipe 18 to reservoir 17 while when it is moved downward it is connected to pipe 24. Valve 26 may be operated by hand but preferably I operate it automatically by means of a float 28 which rides on the water in reservoir 17 and is connected to valve handle 27 by a lever 29 pivoted at 30 and a link 31. the connection and arrange. ment being such that when reservoir 17 is full the float will etlect a movement of valve 26 to connect the exit of the condenser to pipe 2st and when the reservoir is substantially empty the valve will be operated to again connect the exit of the condenser to reservoir 17. When the condenser is not supplying hot water to reservoir 17 but is operating as an ordinary condenser, it is then desirable in order to obtain the highest etiiciency on the condensing unit to have the cooling water leave at as low a tempe 'ature as possible since the lower the temperature the higher the vacuum in the condenser will be. Accordingly, when valve 26 is moved to con nect the exit 16 of the condenser to pipe 2st, I increase the flow of cooling water through the condenser by increasing the speed or turbine 11 and pump 10. This too may be done automatically by connecting the regulating valve 32 for turbine 11 to link 31 by means of a suitable extension 33 so that when float 28 operates valve 26 it at the same time operates valve 32. By thus supplying more cooling water to the condenser, the temperature will be lowered and the vacuum improved.

If hot water of more than one temperature is required I may provide a second hot water storage reservoir 34 connected to pipe 2 1 by a conduit 35. This will enable water of any suitable or desired temperature to be stored in this reservoir and used as desired at the point of consumption, the temperature of the water being established by regulating thesupply of cooling water to the condenser. When the condenser exit is connected to pipe 24, it is of course desirable that all the cooling water be taken from source 1% so as to utilize the coolest water available. At such times the hot water taken from reservoir 17 for use at the point of consumption 20 may be stored in tank 21 to be later circulated through the condenser when it again becomes necessary to fill reservoir 17.

It sometimes'happens in case of a sudden decrease in load that more steam is generated by boilers 7 than is required so that the pressure rises causing the excess steam to be blown off through the usual safety valves. To save the steam under these circumstances,

7 I provide a pipe 36 which leads from steam pipe 6 to reservoir 17 and in such pipe I provide a valve 37 adapted to be opened automatically by a pressure responsive device 38 when the steam pressure exceeds a predetermined high valve. In the present instance pressure responsive device 38 is shown as comprising a spring-held piston moving in a cylinder which is connected to steam pipe 6 by a pipe 39. In case of excess steam pressure the piston is forced downward to open valve 37 whereupon steam flows through pipe 36 to reservoir 17 where it is stored and may be later drawn on through pipe 40 and used 'for any. desired purposes.

For some industrial purposes specially prepared water is necessary and in such case the water in the-system represented by res ervoirs 17 34L and 21 may be specially prepared water while that in well 14 may be ordinary cooling water. Under these circumstances the specially be used when the condenser exit is connected to tank 17 and the ordinary cooling water will be used when the condenser is connected by manipulating valves22 and 23 and this may be done manually or by means of float 28 or other suitable means.

When the system is shut down as at night for example, steam may be stored'in reservoir 1'? and used later for starting up and for immediate heating purposes. This may be of particular advantage during .cold weather and where steam is desired torthc steam pipes of manufacturing plants in the morning.

In accordance with the. provisions of the patent statutes, I have described the principle of operation of my invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof; but I desire to have itrunderstood that the apparatus shown is only illustrative, and that the invention maybe carried out by other means.

lVhat I claim as new-and desire to secure by Letters Patent .ot the United States, is,-

1. In a power installation, the combination of a prime mover, a condenser into which it exhausts, a hot water storage reser-, voir from which hot water is drawn for industrial purposes, a conduit connecting the cooling water exit of the condenser to the reservoir, means for supplying a uniform quantity of cooling water to the condenser,

means for disconnecting said conduit from the reservoir when .the level therein reaches a predetermined high point, and

prepared water will 7 means for increasing the flow of cooling water to the condenser when the conduit is thus disconnected.

2. In a power installation, the combina tion of a prime mover, a condenser into which it exhausts, a hot water storage reservoir from which hot water is drawn for industrial purposes, a conduit connecting the cooling water exit of the condenser. to the reservoir, means for supplying a uniform quantity of cooling water. to the condenser, and means controlled by the level of the water in the reservoir for disconnecting said conduit from the reservoir and 1ncreasing the flow of cooling water to the condenser.

3. In a? power installation, the combination of a prime mover, a condenser into which it exhausts, a hot water reservoir, a conduit connecting it to the cooling water exit of the condenser, a point of consumption for hot water, a conduit connecting the reservoirto such point, means for taking water from said point and again circulating it through the condenser, means for disconnecting the reservoir from the condenser when the reservoir is full, and a tank for storing water from the point of consumption when the reservoir is disconnected from the condenser.

4. In a power installation, the combination of a prime mover, a condenser into' which it exhausts, a hot water storage reservoir from which hot water is drawn for industrial purposes, a conduit connecting the cooling water exit of the condenser to the reservoir, means for supplying a uniform quantity of cooling Water to the condenser, and means for supplying live steam to the reservoir.

5. In a power installation, the combination of a prime mover, a boiler for supplying steam to it, a condenser into which the prime mover exhausts, a hot Water storage reservoir from which hot water is drawn for industrial purposes, a conduit connecting the cooling Water exit of the condenser to the reservoir, means for supplying a uniform quantity of cooling water to the condenser, and means for automatically supplying live steam from the boiler to the reservoir in case the steam pressure exceeds a predetermined value.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 81st day of July, 1922.

THEODOR STEIN. 

